Australians expelled from Sri Lanka

Two Australians from an international journalism organisation have been expelled from Sri Lanka due to what the government says were violations of their visas. Jacqueline Park and Jane Worthington were detained by security officials for several days, interrogated and even accused of conspiring against the government.

Transcript

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ELIZABETH JACKSON: Two Australians from an international journalism organisation have been expelled from Sri Lanka because of alleged violations of their visas.

Jacqueline Park and Jane Worthington were in the country on tourist visas when they attended a journalism workshop.

They were detained by security officials for several days, interrogated and even accused of conspiring against the government.

Our South Asia correspondent, Michael Edwards, reports.

MICHAEL EDWARDS: The Asia-Pacific director of the International Federation of Journalists, Jacqueline Park, and her deputy, Jane Worthington, had been invited to Colombo to attend a workshop being conducted by the Free Media Movement, a group of journalists dedicated to covering Sri Lanka's human rights situation.

But Sri Lankan officials raided the workshop on Wednesday. The two women were taken back to their hotel, had their passports confiscated and were subjected to hours of questioning by immigration, defence and police officials.

Christopher Warren, the federal secretary of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, and Jacqueline Park's husband, says it was a harrowing ordeal for the two women.

CHRISTOPHER WARREN: Yes, I think it was very stressful for them going through extensive questioning and not knowing when or if they were going to be allowed to leave the country.

MICHAEL EDWARDS: On Friday afternoon, after extensive negotiations, they were given their passports back and allowed to leave the country.

The Sri Lankan government accused the pair of working as journalists without the proper visa required.

Leaked emails between the women and the workshop's organisers appeared in pro-government newspapers. The government claims these prove that they had breached the rules of their tourist visas.

Christopher Warren rejects these claims.

CHRISTOPHER WARREN: They were there meeting people, meeting journalists, mixing with journalists. It was very clear that they were never performing journalistic work; that would have required a media visa.

MICHAEL EDWARDS: The situation comes just weeks before Colombo hosts the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Since the end of Sri Lanka's civil war in 2009, president Mahinda Rajapaksa's government has been accused of carrying out a campaign of repression against its critics, including those in the media.

The United Nations has passed a number of resolutions calling for the Sri Lankan government to improve its human rights record.

Most recently, the head of the United Nations human rights body, Navi Pillay, described the island nation as heading down the path of authoritarianism.

Jehan Perera, a veteran activist based in Colombo, says journalists operate in a climate of fear.

JEHAN PERERA: Journalists have received calls from top government leaders and asking them, why are you writing this way? Or, why are you saying what you are saying? It sort of creates a climate of intimidation.

MICHAEL EDWARDS: The Sri Lankan government stands by its actions, and says journalists are welcome, but that they must have the correct visas when they come.